Part of the Ministry of Agriculture’s policy is to rehabilitate, expand and maintain the drainage and irrigation systems, and yearly huge amounts are allocated to rehabilitate and resuscitate old structures.

Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud at the Stanleytown, West Bank Demerara pump station.

Last Friday, Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud commissioned the new pump at Stanleytown, Region Three, that will increase the drainage capacity of the Canal Number Two Polder area and assist in reducing flooding.

Canal Number Two Polder is known for its agricultural potential and during the rainy periods, it is affected by accumulation of water in some areas; but with the installation of the pump, this will considerably increase the drainage capacity.

The estimated cost for the pump is $119M, and this installation is in keeping with a promise made by the Agriculture Minister earlier this year to bring relief to farmers who were being affected by heavy rainfall.

This new pump will be able to work during periods of high tide when the sluice cannot be opened.

The Stanleytown Pump Station was established in the 1980s, and had become dysfunctional; at the behest of farmers, Government, with support from the Inter American Development Bank (IDB), undertook the complete rehabilitation of the major drainage system.

Minister Persaud disclosed that almost $1.5B is invested in drainage and irrigation in La Jalousie,  the Canals Polder, and Vreed-en-Hoop.

The Minister explained that the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) has been framed to garner resources and reduce deforestation and global warming, and invest in resources to rebuild drainage and irrigation in Guyana. He urged the people of Region Three, especially farmers, to care for the facility, noting that they are the ones who will suffer if it is not managed properly.

Region Three Chairman, Julius Faeber, said that the facility will benefit thousands of farmers.

Installation of drainage pumps at the Canal Polder form part of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority’s Capital Works Programme for improving drainage and irrigation services across the country in declared Drainage and Irrigation (D&I) areas.

Chief Executive Officer NDIA, Lionel Wordsworth, said that Region 3 has a large production area, where 30 percent of the population is employed in the agriculture sector. He noted that this venture will indeed benefit the residents.